Kickstarting young careers

Pop music duo starts off summer concerts opening for headlining acts

Danielle Nadler/ViewAlex Lowery, left, and DeAnn DeNovellis run through a song at the Dance Zone Studio. Danielle Nadler/ViewPop duo DeAnn DeNovellis, left, and Alex Lowery, known as D & A, practice at the Dance Zone Studio on June 5 as they prepare for an upcoming concert. The teen girls opened for singer Jesse McCartney and rapper Soulja Boy at 98.5 KLUC Summer Jam last month and are gearing up for a summer of other concerts. Danielle Nadler/ViewDeAnn DeNovellis, left, and Alex Lowery of D & A take a break from rehearsal for their upcoming summer concerts. Advertisement

Three weeks ago, pop duo DeAnn DeNovellis and Alex Lowery sang in front of thousands at the 98.5 KLUC Summer Jam as the opening act for singer Jesse McCartney and rapper Soulja Boy.

Not bad for their first concert.

Less than a year ago, the two would never have guessed they would share the spotlight with celebrity performers. They didn't even know each other. Alex, 16, had just started voice lessons. DeAnn, 14, had never danced a choreographed step in her life.

The two were introduced in September by Alex's family friend and veteran entertainment manager Steve "Biscuit" Walker. Walker had a three-girl group in the mind, but when he saw DeAnn and Alex sing together for the first time, he kept it at a duo.

"It just clicked," Alex said. "It was like we knew each other forever."

The two girls have since become inseparable. In the fall, they left Coronado High School and Canarelli Middle School for home schooling to focus on their newfound career.

D & A has since consumed their schedules. They take dance lessons twice a week, voice lessons three times a week, acting and modeling classes twice a week and practice dancing and singing nearly every day. And they coach each other.

Alex has danced most of her life, but didn't take a voice lesson until a year ago. DeAnn, on the other hand, has sung since she was 4 years old, inspired by her mother, Ann DeNovellis, who sang at nearly every hotel-casino along the Strip over the past 20 years.

What DeAnn needed to work on was her dance moves.

"I feel like we cover each other's weaknesses," she said.

"DeAnn might help me hit a note, and I help her with some of the dancing," Alex added.

Alex's father, Daniel "Jamariah" Mowery, who also has sung locally for 20 years, never imagined his daughter would follow the limelight.

"Her voice coach called after her first lesson and said, 'Your daughter has a beautiful voice,' " Mowery said. "I had no idea. She would never sing for me."

When Alex joined forces with DeAnn, she said she finally felt at home in the spotlight.

"I love it," Alex said of performing. "It's like what I was meant to do."

"Me too," DeAnn added, who used to hang out backstage with her mother. "It's always been like a sparkle that I was drawn to. I knew I wanted to sing."

The girls recorded their first songs in Los Angeles late last year. Developed by producer Chris "Brody" Brown, D & A's sound has catchy choruses and rhythms. The songs' lyrics speak to friendship, loneliness, flirting and, of course, boys. So far, they have five recorded songs.

"We feel like we relate to every song," DeAnn said.

Two of their songs debuted on 98.5 KLUC-FM two weeks ago. The girls happened to be listening to the station at home when the songs aired.

"I was like, wait, that's us," Alex said.

"I threw my dog," DeAnn said with a playful grimace. "I was just shocked."

D & A could share the spotlight with other big-name performers in the music industry this summer if all goes as planned. Walker is working to showcase the girls in Orlando, Fla., New York and Los Angeles.

"I think they have potential to be big, but it all comes down to what kind of music kids want," said Walker, who's also worked with New Kids on the Block, Aaron Carter and other popular performers. "For the short amount of time, they've done extremely well, but they have a lot of work to do. My main thing is for them to keep honing their craft."

The girls received similar advice from McCartney after his performance at Summer Jam. The 22-year-old urged them to press on even when things get tough.

"We know it's going to be a lot of work," DeAnn said. "Hopefully, one day, we'll be at the MGM (Grand) walking down the red carpet with Mariah Carey."

Contact Southeast and Southwest View reporter Danielle Nadler at dnadler@viewnews.com or 224-5524.